This unit discovers a I-IV-V bass line, and outlines the pitches in these chords for the song, “Siyahamba” which students use to compose harmonic accompaniments.

Through the Creative Process, students explore the I-IV-V chord progression; build chords and examine the intervals; create, revise, refine and perform their own harmony parts for the song, “Siyahamba”.

Students reflect on the compositional process and their own strengths and goals.

Students will explore the difference between simple time and compound time through chants and language patterns. Students will create chants in 9/8 time and perform and write them to apply their understanding of compound metre. These chants will be put in context with a folk song in 9/8 time. Finally students will compare a classical song in 9/8 time with the folk song in terms of cultural, historical, and period differences.

This unit is designed as a double unit using the famous Canadian folk song “I’se the B’y.” The first half focuses on form and 6/8 time. The second half explores a I-V bass line using form to identify and create a new I-V pattern. Either half of the lesson could be taught independently of the other, or as one big unit.

Students will learn a new note on the recorder (D’); compose melodies using G, A, B and D’, perform with voice and body percussion; notate their own melodies; perform on the recorder independently and in small groups; perform a melody in canon form on the recorder; read and perform accompaniment parts from notation.

Students will learn to read and play the standard notation for B, A, and G on the recorder; perform a song for recorder with accompaniment; compose, and perform on recorder, a 16-beat melody with notes B, A, and G and rhythmic phrase cards

Students will learn a dotted half note in a song in ¾ time; compose patterns using dotted half notes, half notes, quarter notes and eighth notes; perform with voice and body percussion.

This unit explores many ways of creating, performing and listening to canons:
1. creating body percussion/movement canons
2. singing a song in canon
3. creating movement for a song
4. playing a theme in canon on pitched percussion instruments
5. listening to a recording of a canon, identifying entries of the theme and describing the harmony and textures; creating movement phrases to accompany the theme in canon.

Students will learn a melody on barred instruments; compose and perform melodies; perform accompaniments

Students will learn the half note; compose 8 beat patterns using eighth, quarter and half notes; create and play an ostinato with a song; experience the form AB; improvise with an ostinato; perform accompaniments

Students will sing a call and response song, play an accompaniment on the beat, and perform rhythmic phrases on non-pitched percussion instruments.
Students will sing so, la and mi melodic patterns with hand signs.

Students create melody maps with their bodies while singing a song.

Students create movements that interpret the meaning of a word.

Students compose a rhythmic or melodic pattern to represent a word from a story, and choose an instrument and play their patterns, creating a musical story.

Students explain the interpretive connection between a word, the pattern they have composed, and the choice of instrument for playing the pattern.

This unit provides students with the opportunity to make connections between and apply their knowledge of the elements of music and elements of design to create a musical composition using non-standard or graphic notation. The music composition is inspired by a piece of art work where the elements of design, e.g., line, shape, texture, and colour are represented in sound. Through critical thinking and application of The Creative Process, students will deepen their understanding of both the elements of music and elements of design. There are seven lessons in this unit that provide options for implementation. They can be taught consecutively as an entire unit or in smaller units i.e., Lessons 1-2, Lessons 1-4, Lessons 5-6 or some may be taught in isolation i.e., Lesson 1, Lesson 5.

The unit begins with two lessons that have use rhythms, sounds and meanings from given text as the inspiration for musical compositions. In these lessons, students use various elements of music to create compositions from names, poems, chants and stories.

Students will use the Critical Analysis Process to identify how musical elements are used in themes and theme songs, and will compose themes using the elements of music to describe a specific character through music. Beginning with familiar themes from popular culture, students will listen to and analyze a variety of themes/theme songs. Examples of themes found in classical music, advertising, movies, television and other media will be examined.